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หน้าหลัก / The Mafia Don's Nightmare Was My Escape / 2

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ผู้เขียน: Suise
After we planned the asset transfer, I stayed the night at my parents' house.

That night, I had a dream much like Vincent's.

In the rest of the dream, no matter what happened to Lia, Vincent insisted I was behind it and made me pay twice over.

To protect Lia, Vincent had my bodyguard, Erin Hayes, thrown into the Hudson to feed the sharks.

His relentless attacks brought on a stroke that left my father paralyzed.

Desperate for revenge, I did everything I could to bring his lover to trial for her crimes.

But his men beat me until I miscarried. The damage was permanent. I could never have another child.

I woke up with my back soaked in cold sweat.

Staring at my pregnancy test results, I rested a hand on my belly.

I would not let that happen!

Early the next morning, I set out for a prenatal checkup at the private clinic.

I'd barely gotten into the car when Erin called.

"Donna! The Don lied to you. Lia's still here!"

The memory of what had happened to her in my dream came rushing back.

A chill of fear ran through me. I immediately changed course.

"Erin, I know you're angry, but don't do anything rash. Stay safe. I'm on my way!"

By the time I reached the office and ran into the lobby, Vincent's men had surrounded her.

She wasn't hurt yet. I let out a breath.

Vincent seemed startled to see me.

Then his usual confidence returned. He was a man used to being obeyed.

He turned back to Erin with a cold stare.

"You think getting Eve down here means you'll walk away from this?"

As soon as Erin saw me, she blurted out the whole story.

She'd caught Lia entering the private lounge Vincent had set aside for me and tackled her in a panic.

Lia had scraped her elbow in the fall. Now she was accusing Erin of deliberately hurting her.

Erin hadn't done anything wrong. But when someone Vincent cared about was involved, that didn't matter.

I pressed my nails into my palm and fought to keep my voice even.

"Vincent, Erin is a professional bodyguard. She had every reason to react that way.

"Besides, she was only looking out for my safety."

When Vincent said nothing, Lia crumpled to the floor, sobbing.

Through her tears, she made a show of pushing up her sleeve to reveal the bruises on her arm.

"Donna, I'll leave New York. Please stop sending people to beat me up.

"Vincent, please help me. Erin said she'd beat me every time she saw me. I promise I'll stay away from you and Eve..."

Vincent turned to Erin, his voice cold. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"This is the first time I've even been alone with her," Erin said, staring at him in disbelief. "I never touched her before today! She's lying!"

I patted Erin's hand and spoke to Vincent as calmly as I could. "Why not check the security footage from the places Lia's been lately? Then we'll know who's telling the truth."

"Check it," Vincent ordered with a wave.

His men were about to leave when Lia went white.

She caught the men by the arms to stop them, then threw herself down in front of Vincent and struck her forehead against the marble floor again and again until blood began to trickle down.

"Vincent! Please don't fight with the Donna because of me. This is all my fault.

"Nothing else matters, as long as I don't make things harder for you."

Concern softened his face.

He hurried to help her up and carefully wiped the blood from her face with his handkerchief.

"Do you really care that much about how I feel?"

Lia looked up at him.

"You matter to me, Vincent. So much."

"Poor thing. What if you'd scarred that pretty face?"

He scooped Lia into his arms. As he passed me, his voice turned cold.

"Eve, you shouldn't pick on an orphan. Someone has to answer for what happened to Lia today.

"Your bodyguard can feed the sharks, or she can suffer ten times what Lia did. Your choice."

Once Vincent left, the new men he'd hired closed in around us.

I stepped in front of Erin.

"Do you know who I am? You wouldn't dare touch me."

One of them gave me a hard look.

"We take orders from the Don. Anyone who gets in the way gets hit too!"

They rained punches down on us.

Erin shielded me with her body, and I curled up, trying desperately to protect my belly. It wasn't enough. Several blows still got through.

A fist struck me low in the belly. I cried out in pain.

Bob happened to pass by. The moment he saw us, he shouted, "Stop! She's the Donna! How dare you touch her! Do you want to die?"

They froze, then scrambled to explain.

Bob didn't stop to listen. He ordered someone to help me up.

"Donna, I'll have someone take you to the hospital right now."

"Don't touch me!"

Pale and clutching my belly, I leaned on Erin as we slowly made our way out of the lobby.

By the time I reached the car, blood had soaked through the hem of my dress.

"Erin, my stomach hurts so much..."
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  • The Mafia Don's Nightmare Was My Escape   8

    Our wedding day arrived.Morning sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains.Erin helped me into my wedding dress. The white lace trailed across the floor.The church was small, with white candles burning on a table.Ian waited in a dark gray suit. He gave me a tender smile when he saw me.My father took my arm and walked me slowly down the red-carpeted aisle.The organ filled the church with the wedding march.Just as the minister was about to lead us through our vows, the doors banged open.Vincent stood in the doorway, deathly pale, staring at me."Eve! Don't marry him!"He stumbled inside. The guards behind him moved to stop him, but I raised a hand."I was wrong, Eve. I know I was wrong."He stood at the foot of the steps, looking up at me. His voice was ragged."The docks, the businesses. I'll give you everything."Just give me one more chance. The three of us can start over..."I looked calmly at the wreck of a man in front of me."The three of us? You still don't understand,

  • The Mafia Don's Nightmare Was My Escape   7

    After that, I heard nothing more from Vincent.I threw myself into work and wedding preparations.Before I knew it, the wedding was a day away.Ian called as I was leaving the office. "Eve, I'm sorry. The board called an emergency meeting. I don't think I'll make it to your dress fitting.""It's fine. The dress was made to my measurements. I'll just try it on and see how it looks."After we hung up, I drove to the bridal shop.The ivory lace gown had a long train dotted with tiny pearls. Erin stood behind me, carefully smoothing the skirt.It was evening by the time we finished. As I stepped out of the shop, my phone buzzed.A text from a business partner.They were at the coffee shop on the corner and needed to go over a document with me in person. It was urgent.I pushed open the door. My smile vanished when I saw who was sitting on the couch.Vincent. Still in his blue-and-white hospital gown.He was gaunt, his eyes sunken and his skin almost translucent. Nothing remained of the pro

  • The Mafia Don's Nightmare Was My Escape   6

    Three years later. Zurich.Snow fell thickly outside the window."Ms. Lane, Mr. Cullen is waiting downstairs."My secretary knocked and stepped inside to remind me.I nodded and picked up the coat hanging over my chair.My name was Eve Lane now.Our family business had a new identity too. We'd put down roots in our new country.And Ian?Over those three years, we'd gone from business partners to partners in every sense. We understood each other without a word.Bit by bit, he'd helped me overcome the nightmares of betrayal that had followed me from New York.Our wedding was in three days.At my request, he'd arranged a simple ceremony in a little lakeside church with just a few close friends and relatives.When I got back to the apartment, Erin was pressing my wedding dress.She hesitated when she saw me."Ms. Lane, someone just called from New York."He wouldn't give a name. He said... he had to speak to you."I paused, then answered evenly, "Hang up on him."I didn't need to ask who i

  • The Mafia Don's Nightmare Was My Escape   5

    When I woke up in bed, Erin was beside me, her eyes red from crying."Donna... no, Ms. Alberti. You're finally awake.""Who brought me back?""Mr. Cullen.""Where's Vincent?"Erin hesitated before answering. "The Don... he took Lia to the hospital."I pushed myself upright, bracing a hand on the edge of the bed. The dull ache low in my belly was still there, but I felt strangely calm.I reached for my phone and made a call."Dad, have all the assets been transferred?"Good. You and Mom get ready. We're leaving tonight."Meanwhile, Vincent couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.Lia snuggled against him in her hospital bed, seeking comfort as she told him how terrified she'd been.He didn't know why, but all he felt was irritation.Eve had never chattered on like this when she was with him.She'd sat quietly beside him with a book.Every so often, she'd look up and smile. That alone had been enough to put him at ease."You said Eve tried to burn you alive? Where is she, the

  • The Mafia Don's Nightmare Was My Escape   4

    Watching him leave, I could tell his patience was running out.Getting rid of Erin and taking our family's docks would leave me with no one to turn to. That was the point.But he was wasting his time. I'd already made my own plans.I said goodbye to my father and went back to the Moretti estate so Vincent wouldn't get suspicious.The asset transfer wasn't quite finished.Vincent took a call, then came over and took my arm."There's a charity gala on Wall Street tonight. You're coming with me."I pulled away, one hand over my flat belly."I'm not going. My stomach hurts."For a moment, he looked worried. Then he scoffed."Eve, you always use a stomachache as an excuse when you don't want to go out."Not tonight. You're my wife. You have to be there."Before I could say anything else, he bundled me into the back of a stretch Lincoln.Lia turned around in the front passenger seat. "Sorry, Donna," she said softly. "Vincent said he'd show me how the other half lives. You don't mind, do you?

  • The Mafia Don's Nightmare Was My Escape   3

    At the private clinic, Dr. Chris Morgan stood beside my bed. She sighed."I'm so sorry. You've lost the baby."I'd known what she was going to say. Hearing it still brought tears to my eyes.Then Erin came in."Ms. Alberti, the Don has seized control of your family's docks. He says he's giving them to Lia as an apology."My heart sank.The docks had been the heart of our family business for well over a decade. Losing them would bleed us half dry.Vincent knew how much they meant to us.He was willing to go that far for Lia."Erin, get me discharged.""Ms. Alberti, you're in no condition...""Now!"Erin drove me to the office. Vincent was sitting at the head of the conference table when we arrived.My father sat opposite him, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. Somehow, he kept his temper in check.I'd texted him a warning on the way.In my dream, an argument with Vincent had triggered his stroke.I couldn't let it happen now.Vincent stubbed out his cigar

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